In the trucking and heavy equipment industry, particularly in the tractor-trailer vehicle industry, loads of various sizes and weights must be handled. Accordingly, various types of trailers and specialized trailing implements have been utilized to handle such loads. Furthermore, vehicle operators must comply with specific laws governing the permissible weight of vehicles that travel on freeways and highways. Typically such laws specify the maximum allowable weight per axel of the vehicle. To facilitate compliance with these laws, the trucking industry has long since developed various adjustable frame components to change the weight distribution on the vehicle axels and bring the vehicle into compliance with weight laws.
Many traditional trailers utilize a tandem axel frame assembly which nests inside the main frame assembly of the trailer. The tandem axel frame assembly is moveable relative to the main frame assembly to change the position of the tandem axels relative to the main trailer frame. Changing the position of the tandem axels varies the distribution of weight on all of the vehicle axels.
Traditional tractor-trailer vehicles also include a carriage assembly on which the fifth wheel of the vehicle is mounted. This carriage assembly allows the fifth wheel to be moved in fore and aft directions relative to the cab portion of the vehicle. Moving the fifth wheel relative to the cab portion also changes the distribution of weight on the various axels of the tractor-trailer vehicle.
Operators of tractor-trailer vehicles must frequently change the position of the trailer tandem axels relative to the trailer frame as well as the position of the fifth wheel relative to the cab to comply with the particular vehicle weight laws. Several changes may be required during a single trip where the load is sequentially reduced. The weight distribution will change for a given amount of movement of the tandem axel or the fifth wheel relative to the other portions of the vehicle. To change the position of the tandem axels of the trailer, a mechanical locking pin which holds the tandem axel frame in place relative to the main trailer frame must be released. The vehicle operator must then enter the cab portion of the vehicle and inch the vehicle forward or backward while maintaining the tandem axels in the same place. The operator while in the cab is required to guess as to how much movement of the vehicle will result in the desired amount of relative frame movement. After making an initial guess, the operator is required to climb out of the vehicle cab to observe the actual amount of frame movement, and then reenter the vehicle cab to make further adjustments. Typically, three to five adjustment attempts are required to achieve the desired positioning.
A similar method is used to adjust the position of the fifth wheel relative to the cab portion of the vehicle. A hand-operated control located inside the cab releases a lock mechanism which secures the fifth wheel in a particular position on a carriage supporting the fifth wheel. The fifth wheel can thereby be moved in a conventional manner in fore and aft directions on the carriage assembly relative to the cab while the lock mechanism is released. Here again, the vehicle operator must guess as to how much the fifth wheel has moved for a given amount of actuation of the hand-operated controls. The operator must climb out of the cab, observe the actual amount of movement, and then return to the cab to make further adjustments. This method also requires typically between three to five adjustment efforts to achieve the desired positioning.
Similar difficulties have likewise persisted with respect to attaching trailers and trailing implements (e.g., boat trailers, campers, house trailers, and the like) to trucks and other vehicles. The aforementioned problems are also encountered when attempts are made to properly position a trailer ball attached to a vehicle under the trailer hitch socket. The driver is required to guess how far the vehicle must be moved to align the ball and socket. Achieving proper alignment typically requires several attempts by the driver, with a need to leave the driver's seat of the vehicle each time an adjustment is made to determine the position of the ball relative to the socket. This process is tedious and time consuming.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device to assist vehicle operators, including but not limited to tractor-trailer vehicle operators, in adjusting the relative position of vehicle components. Specifically, with respect to movement of a fifth wheel assembly relative to the cab portion of the vehicle to change the distribution of weight on the vehicle axels. In addition, there is a need to provide a device to assist tractor-trailer operators in changing the position of the trailer tandem axel frame assembly relative to the main trailer frame to change the distribution of weight on the vehicle axels. Still further, there is a need to develop a device that assists vehicle operators in positioning a ball attached to a vehicle underneath a socket portion of a trailer hitch for attaching the trailer to the vehicle.